1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to facsimile machines. More specifically, the present invention relates to wireless facsimile machines that operate in wireless telephone networks or with cordless telephone systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Consumers of modern telephony services have a wide range of products and services available to them. Among these is the conventional wire-line telephone that provides access to the Public Switched Telephone Network (“PSTN”). The classic telephone-set includes a base and a handset. The two are connected together by a cord that carries duplex audio and signaling information. The base is further connected to the PSTN with a twisted pair of wires running from the user's telephone location to a telephone company central office. In addition to providing voice communications, the PSTN widely supports and communicates facsimile image through the use of facsimile machines by consumers. Various technologies for encoding, transmitting, decoding and reproducing facsimile images are known. The dominant standard for communicating facsimile images is the CCITT Group 3 facsimile protocol specification. CCITT Group 3 standards are recognized and have been adopted worldwide, which enables consumers to communicate facsimile images on a worldwide basis. In the United States, the vast majority of facsimile machines are directly connected to the PSTN with twisted pair wires via the familiar RJ-11 jack interface, although cellular telephone network based facsimile machines are known. Many embodiments of facsimile machines are known, including stand-alone machines, personal computer based machines, and integrated peripheral devices, which include a facsimile machine function.
Over the years, many more convenience features have been added to telephone systems and telephone services. Cordless telephones were developed, which eliminated the cord between the base unit and the handset, but did not eliminate the twisted pair of wires connecting the base to the central office. In a cordless telephone, the cord is replaced by a pair or radio transceivers, one in the base and one in the handset, that allow the user to move freely within the radio coverage range of the transceivers. As noted above, cellular telephone networks have also been developed and deployed. Technically speaking, “cellular” is term specifically applied to AMPS based wireless telephones that operate in certain 900 MHz radio bands, as allocated by the FCC. Thus, the term “wireless telephone” will be used hereinafter to describe any telephone system that operates from a radio network, which includes that familiar cellular telephone, as well as GSM, CDMA, TDMA, T-Mobile, Nextel, AMPS, DECT and other systems, which are familiar to those skilled in the art. Wireless telephone networks eliminate the need for interconnection of the telephone terminal unit to the PSTN by a twisted pair of wires. Rather, a network of fixed radio transceivers replaces the wire-line network. Each wireless telephone handset contains a radio transceiver that communicates wirelessly with the wireless network. Wireless telephone networks greatly expand the roaming ability of the users as compared with cordless telephones because the network allows roaming of terminal units between several fixed radio transceivers.
The advent of cordless telephones and wireless telephone service, as well as the dramatic increase in other telephony services, including facsimile communications, has changed the way people use telephones and their expectations about the convenience of service. Most homes and offices have multiple telephone services, including wired telephones, cordless telephones, wireless telephones, as well as facsimile machines. In addition, many users travel frequently and desire to carry their telephony identities with them, and maintain access to the various services that are enjoyed at home or in the office. While there now exists technology to tightly integrate wired, wireless and cordless voice services, in particular, see co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/781,105 to Liu, the inventor of the present invention, for WIRELESS NODE MULTIPLE HANDSET CORDLESS TELEPHONE SYSTEM, the contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference thereto. However, the facsimile machine has not kept pace with the voice terminal devices, especially in terms of portability and integration between various service types. Essentially, there are fixed location machines that are coupled via twisted pair, and wireless telephone facsimile machines that are essentially terminals on a wireless telephone network. The drawback of the wired machines is the requirement of fixed location service access. The drawback of the wireless telephone terminal is the high cost of operation, dedicated nature of the service function, and the lack of interoperability as to location and interconnection options. Thus, there is a need in the art for an improved apparatus and method of communication wirelessly with facsimile machines across various communications environments, with portability.